Saint Matty 76

Crazy how blatant the need for a creative/productive midfielder is. Obviously we’re trying with O’Riley/Carvalho, but I just struggle to see how we’re going to score from open play a lot of the time.

Good news that KWP is hopefully going to be put in on the opening day. Think I’m already in the Edwards over Stephens category, but there’s not much else to complain about selection wise. Plenty to complain about options wise…

Zaha to Leicester on loan. Twat but a good signing.

Even if you decide to be optimistic and claim we're slightly stronger than the team who came 4th in the Championship last year, it really does look drab. I personally think we're worse off, and when KWP goes it'll be considerably worse off.

After his start I was expecting a lot more than that for ABK when he were to leave. Sadly it now looks like a good result. I just hope we're smart enough to get a good sell-on in there because a couple of years without injury (big if) could see his value fly. Let's pray that Onuachu is close to the door as well for something around £8m? Sulemana seems a long-shot on a permanent deal.

Ronnie Edwards the winner of the night probably. Good on the ball and plenty of driving runs forward. I'd imagine Stephens starts the season but can only hope/assume Edwards gets in the LCB spot before too long.

That too!

That right there is probably why Alcaraz will be off. Has some nice turns/moments but ultimately too poor in possession. If his role is meant to be in midfield here it'll be too costly.

Almost definitely in that. Charles and Edwards probably the two most impressive for me so far.

McCarthy really is frightening. Absolutely zero hope of survival if this is it for the season, which I really hope and expect it isn't.

Guendouzi and Alcaraz scrapping in least surprising news of all time

Playing some nice stuff to be fair - against what I've been told is full strength Lazio.

Proper Ings-like goal that.

I like him!

May actually be Dibling on the opening day then...

Completely agree for what it's worth. I do think he'd be a good move at the right cost, which is preferably a prove-it loan deal with an actual option to buy this time. Any striker we sign is going to have red flags, and his are definitely worrying with the injury/Fulham failure. Although it was no disgrace to be stuck behind what Muniz showed at the end of last season. £25m is madness, and I'd imagine it'll come down gradually as Chelsea are forced to keep selling academy players.

"Armando Broja will hold talks with Enzo Maresca ahead of an expected move after returning home. Wants a permanent move. Chelsea want £25m, Wolves keen as are Everton, only were Calvert-Lewin to leave. Southampton expressed interest but won't meet valuation." Jack Rosser, who has been brilliant on us this Summer. Hopefully we can end up on some sort of loan/option move for Broja, as I really still think it's the most promising link we've got at the moment. I still believe there's high upside on him with regular minutes.

Haha, I thought the exact same. I’d like to think if there were one fanbase who understood a team sticking to their valuation at this point, it’d be us.

Why would that make anyone less annoyed? 🤔

Yeah unfortunately. Nowhere near done but I know of their interest and be surprised if he chooses us over it. Be funny to see how quickly Brighton snap up O’Riley now. Think the absolute no-hope Carvalho bid will probably have been an indicator that we knew it was done.

Think Ramsdale is going back to Bournemouth unfortunately.

Diaz in for Edozie and that's the team for the opening day? It really isn't exciting is it? Glaring lack of creativity, goals and a Goalkeeper with hands/feet.

Not sure I understand that logic personally. Think it’s more detrimental to the kid if we go and put out a significant outlay on somebody with the similarities of Rak-Sakyi to himself.

Can’t get behind the Rak-Sakyi links whatsoever. What a way to cement the lack of pathway for Dibling/SAA who have looked brilliant in preseason, than by spending decent money on another unproven talent. Rak-Sakyi has the benefit of having a senior loan move, of course, but I’d find this a really underwhelming move. We’ve brought in some good depth so far, other than in holding midfield. The end of this window has to be 3/4 starting quality players.

Fucking hell that's a seriously funny headline given the contents of the article, which are literally just a "worst case" hypothetical.